Branson News Guide

Hot Winter Fun is heating up in the Branson area and on Monday, February 12 at 7 p.m., the RFD-TV Theatre will be ablaze with the 13th Annual Hot Winter Fun Big Show.

Nowhere else can visitors sample such a wide variety of shows and performers in one exciting evening. The 13th Annual Hot Winter Fun Big Show features segments of several shows that are open during the winter months of January, February, and March – and throughout the entire year in Branson.

Shows represented in the Big Show include Jim Stafford, Grand Jubilee, Doug Gabriel, Baldknobbers, Legends In Concert, Comedy Jamboree, Celebrate America, The White House Theatre and others.

Hot Winter Fun was officially organized in 1994 as a way to offer guests a year-round vacation experience. Ross Summers, president and CEO of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau said, “Hot Winter Fun has proven to be very successful. Over the past 13 years, visitor numbers have increased during the winter months. Many visitors have discovered that they can find a great vacation here any time of the year.”

The Branson/Lakes Area Chamber & CVB, the City of Branson, and area businesses and community members sponsor Hot Winter Fun promotions such as the Big Show. The cooperative marketing program is designed to attract visitors to the Branson/Lakes Area throughout the year especially during January, February, and March.

The value of new construction in the city of Branson during 2006 totaled $215.9 million, breaking the record set in 2005 of $173.6 million.

Major projects permitted in December included:

$22.1 million Sight and Sound Theater Phase 2 on Shepherd of the Hills Expressway
$685,000 housing units at Fox Pointe on Vixen Circle
$3 million Cancer Center for Skaggs Community Health Center on Skaggs Road
$3 million Kohl’s Department Store on Branson Hills Parkway

“Branson continues to be a hot ticket right now for new development,” said Michael Rankin, the city’s economic development director. “And it was the Branson Landing and convention center project that really started it.”

Since 2001 when the Branson Landing project was first announced, new construction in the city has skyrocketed $175 million, from $41.3 million in ’01 to $215.9 million in ’06.

MoDOT makes offer to share cost, but project cost still too high

The proposed roundabout on the south end of the Highway 76 Lake Taneycomo Bridge will not happen even with the latest offer from MoDOT to share the cost, according to Branson city officials and the Taney County Commission.

According to Branson City Engineer David Miller, when the design engineering company estimated the price tag of the roundabout project, their cost came in around the $800,000 range. The city and county used that figure as the basis of an agreement to share the cost of construction. However, when actual construction bids for the roundabout were opened in November, the low bid was $3.2 million. Both city and county officials decided then not to pursue the project and didn’t award a bid due to the significant increase in the cost.

Recently, MoDOT came back to the city and county offering to contribute nearly $1.5 million towards the $3.2 million cost. MoDOT officials said the state had funds available that were well suited for a project of this type that involves the intersection of two state-owned routes and not any city or county owned streets. But again, neither the Taney County Commissioners nor the city of Branson, after considering the offer from MoDOT, were able to identify the additional funding that would be needed to match the state’s contribution.

The roundabout would have provided relief for the daily traffic congestion at the signalized intersection of East Highway 76 and Business 65 in Hollister.

The city and county had earlier recognized that a majority of the drivers being negatively impacted by the congestion caused by the intersection are eastern county residents that have to use this route for access to their jobs.

MoDOT officials have said they have no plans to widen the Taneycomo Bridge or build another bridge across the lake for at least eight years.

Chateau on the Lake Resort, Spa & Convention Center today announced plans to host a series of intimate vintner dinners highlighting wines of Missouri and elegant cuisine prepared by executive chefs from around the state.

The first of the Chateau Vintner Dinners will be held on Friday, January 26, 2007 in the Private Dining Room of the Chateau Grille. Reservations are also being accepted for upcoming Chateau Vintner Dinners on February, 23, 2007 and March 23, 2007. A visiting winemaker and chef from Missouri will host each dinner.

Winemaker Daniel Alcorso from Crown Valley Winery and Executive Chef Drew Poniewaz from Tiger Ridge Restaurant, both in Ste. Genevieve, will serve as guest hosts on January 26th. A dinner reception begins at 6:30p.m. followed by a five-course meal featuring Norton-braised Crown Farm Beef Short Ribs and seared Crown Farm Bison Loin prepared by Chef Drew. Guests will have the opportunity to sample five of Crown Valley’s most outstanding wines including the Muscat Canelli 2005, Norton 2005 and Vignoles “Late Harvest” 2005. Reservations are required and guests must be 21 years of age. The price per person is $85.00 pus tax and gratuity. Seating is very limited.

Guests are also invited to attend an afternoon cooking demonstration and sampling with Chef Drew and Chateau Executive Chef Anthony Burke beginning at 2:00p.m., January 26, 2007. This informal and entertaining afternoon with the Chefs will feature samples from Crown Valley Winery. Reservations are required and guests must be 21 years of age. The price per person is $25.00 pus tax and gratuity.

Chateau on the Lake is proud to spotlight Crown Valley and other Missouri wineries to help bring attention to Missouri’s professional winemaking industry. “First-time visitors at the Chateau are often very surprised by what they find,” said Chateau Vice President and General Manager Stephen Marshall. “When I visited Crown Valley Winery, I had the same reaction. It’s a very professional operation in a beautiful rural setting. We wanted to bring a piece of it here for our Vintner Dinner Series so that our residents and visitors could experience the unique pleasure of fine wine together with expertly-prepared gourmet cuisine.”

For the past ten years this award-winning Western extravaganza has thrilled audiences young and old across the USA and seen by millions on National telecast StarzEncore Western Channel; RFD-TV and leading Western lifestyle magazines.

In its new home, the state-of-the-art, 60,000 sq. ft. indoor Wild West arena, the Great American Wild West Show will be more spectacular than ever. Located on 70-acres in the heart of Branson Meadows on Gretna Road, the second highest-traveled area in Branson, only minutes from the famous ‘Strip,’ and just around the corner from the $400 million Branson Landing, Bass Pro and Hilton convention center.

From Buffalo Bill’s Grand Arrival to the Grand Finale, The Great American Wild West Show is a thrilling, action-packed adventure and a “real piece of Americana.” Branson’s first, real, live, Western spectacular.